Through the Lens of Community of Inquiry - Scaffolding Chinese ESL Oral Participation in a US Online Graduate Course

Oct 15, 2026

A reflective study examines factors that increased international Chinese ESL learners’ participation in a US online graduate course, especially oral participation, during pandemic-era remote instruction. The analysis aligns identified engagement drivers with the three presences of the Community of Inquiry (CoI): social, teaching, and cognitive. To clarify the connection between CoI and participation, the study introduces the CoI-Participation Model. Results emphasize that sustaining a strong CoI reduces linguistic barriers, strengthens group commitment, and fosters a connected community of learners, supported by TESOL instructional implications.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

Research Context

Research Questions

Literature Review

CoI-Participation Model

Social Presence

Cognitive Presence

Through the Lens of Community of Inquiry: Scaffolding Chinese ESL Oral Participation in a US Online Graduate Course This reflective writing identified components that contribute to increased participation of international ESL in one online graduate course. All the factors identified in the analysis as conducive to greater engagement and elevated participation naturally fell into the three presences of Community of Inquiry (CoI) . As such, a new theoretical framework titled CoIParticipation Model was created to reveal the underlying connection between CoI and participation. Findings drawn from the critical analysis indicate that online courses maintaining a good CoI can effectively promote ESL class participation, especially oral participation, by eliminating linguistic barriers, building a sense of group commitment, and creating a connected community of learners. Instructional implications and practical teaching tips for TESOL professionals incorporating the CoI-Participation Model in online teaching are discussed. Keywords: online teaching, adult education, ESL, Community of Inquiry (CoI), participation, engagement, class management, synchronous communication Introduction The recent pandemic has forced many schools to transition to online teaching, causing a shift in course content delivery and student participation in class. Online learning and teaching experiences during the pandemic disruptions in California made me reflect on my roles as a MA TESOL student, a Chinese ESL speaker, and a novice ESL instructor at an adult school in Los Angeles. I used to perceive online courses asunengaging and unfavorable for ESLs in the higher education context, based on my previous learning experience at an Asian university. However, my online learning experience at a university in California asa graduate student changed my perspective. The course I attended was quite engaging, and I noticed that my international ESL fellows and I seemed to participate more in class than we did in our previous faceto-face courses. The gap between my preconception and reality stimulated my curiosity. To verify my observation and figure out the contributors to the increased participation, if any, I kept observation logsand conducted critical analysis through the lens of the Community of Inquiry (CoI) theory. Findings drawn upon critical analysis and teaching practices indicate that maintaining a good CoI can effectively promote ESLs' participation, especially oral participation, in online graduate courses. Research Context In two years during the pandemic, I accumulated many experiences with online learning in two different educational settings and have continuously reflected on my learning experience. I took four online graduate courses at an Asian university adopting English Medium Instruction (EMI) . Much like many schools in the US, the school moved online due to some uncontrollable factors. Neither the students nor instructors prepared for the sudden and unexpected transition to the online format. As a result, the students were not engaged in class and seldom participated. The MA TESOL course I took at a university in California, on the contrary, was as interactive and engaging as in-person ones. As the constitution of the two classes was similar, with most students being graduate-level ESLs majoring in language education from mainland China, it is plausible and meaningful to explore the causes of the different learning experiences and outcomes. The course duration of the MA TESOL course I took was 15 weeks. The school transitioned to online delivery due to COVID-19 in the second half of the semester (from week 9 to week 15) . The school adopted Zoom as the teaching platform. The instructor had previously taught two online classes using a different platform, whereas students' familiarity with online learning varied. In addition, there were course recordings safely locked and available after class. Around week 10, I noticed that the clas

FAQs

What is the main research focus of this study?

The study investigates how international Chinese ESLs’ participation in US online graduate courses can be elevated, with attention to oral participation.

How does the Community of Inquiry (CoI) framework explain increased participation?

Identified engagement factors map to CoI’s social, teaching, and cognitive presences, which together help reduce isolation, support communication, and promote critical thinking.

What model does the author introduce and what is its purpose?

The author creates the CoI-Participation Model to reveal how CoI’s presences connect to learners’ participation in online settings, particularly oral engagement.

Oct 15, 2026

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